William Blake (1757–1827)

The Garden of Love 1794

I went to the Garden of Love,

And saw what I never had seen:

A Chapel was built in the midst,

Where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this Chapel were shut, 5

And “Thou shalt not” writ over the door;

So I turned to the Garden of Love

That so many sweet flowers bore;

And I saw it was filled with graves,

And tomb-stones where flowers should be; 10

And Priests in black gowns were walking their rounds,

And binding with briars my joys and desires.